Lot 34: ARTHUR FOACHE (1871-1967)

CYCLES CLEMENT. Circa 1900. Bourgerie, Paris.

531/2x37 inches.

Condition A-: vertical and horizontal folds; minor restored losses in top margin.

This outstanding poster, in the purest French Art Nouveau style, is an incredible tour-de-force of curvaceous line, outline and color. The gracious allegory of victory advertises one of the most important bicycle companies of the time. Adolphe Clement was a pioneer in all senses of the word. A locksmith with a small store on the rue Brunel in Paris (the same street where Cheret had an early studio!) he began bicycle racing in 1878 and founded his bicycle company shortly thereafter. By 1890, along with Peugeot and Darracq, Clement was one of the larger manufacturers in the market. In 1891 he bought the exclusive rights to the Dunlop pneumatic tire throughout all of France. He was also a pioneer in advertising, realizing very early on the power of good marketing, and he employed top artists to advertise his company, including Misti and Pal. This poster is certainly the most elegant of the entire series. It has only recently been attributed to Foache thanks to a preparatory drawing signed by him which has surfaced. However, it is difficult to ascertain if this is the same Arthur Foache, born in Brittany and known as a landscape painter.